Vulcan 800 won't start

[mikew]

I just bought a 1998 Vulcan 800 Classic. I took it for a ride and after getting home and shutting it off I noticed gas leaking from an overflow tube connected to the air cleaner. I tried to restart the bike and it wouldn't start. I took the air cleaner off and looked at the carburetor. Gas was seeping out of the carb and into the air cleaner and out the overflow tube. It was coming out at a decent rate too. The only way I could restart the bike was by holding the throttle on a bit. The bike would stall out if I let it idle. There is an idle adjustment thumbscrew that I adjusted to get it to finally idle but it still seeps gas when I shut if off. Anyone ever have this happen? How do I fix it? Please help!
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mike

[satans_BIG_helper]

im guessing your float bowl needle is stuck ? have u tried tapping the base of the carb with the handle of a screw driver or something similar?? just lightly tho to see if that stops it

[Scotsman37]

I had that exact same problem 2 weeks ago!

It's the carbs float valve's push button that is stuck and because of that the float rises but is not cutting off the fuel and so it just keeps filling the float bowl and pours straight out through the air hole. You're best to press each of the float valve's push buttons and clean them with carb cleaner and they will freely move again. There's a pivot pin which holds float and valve in place and it only requires something with a small point to push it out.

You'll need to remove the carbs completely from the bike and once removed you only have to remove & re-assemble each float bowl and parts within to clean them with only the proper carb cleaner i.e. Motul or Silkolene and I would recommend doing one float blowl at a time. Do not touch the top part of the carbs because the rubber the diaghram is a bugger to put back properly.

You need to buy at Maplins or any other electronics shop a spray can of compressed air called Aero Duster, and this is to blast air through every hole in the carbs jets, etc to blow out any stubborn particles but first use the carb cleaner and compressed air will push it through and it will get a thorough cleaning that way.

You'll definitely need an impact driver to begin the untightening of screws so as not to ruin them. Also buy a tin of copper grease to prevent future seizing of screws as it's definitely worth the money as you'll use for brake calipers too when the day comes to clean them.


With the fuel tank off the there is still enough fuel in the pipe and carb's float bowls for the bike to turn over for a further 5-10 minutes and so run the engine until the fuel is used up within the carbs.

After the carbs are put back on the bike and you start it up it the engine will splutter for a few minutes and you no doubt will have to press the starter a couple of times until the air pocket is removed fuel line and carbs.

After doing the above I would recommend getting valve clearances checked and have have carbs balanced for a good overall finish of the job.

[mikew]

Thanks for the tips. I will check it out and let you know if it worked.
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mike